The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity baseball team came up short on the road on Friday, falling to Idalou, 9-3, in their second meeting of district play.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 3-5 in district play.
Blayton Soliz started on the mound for the Wildcats pitching one inning, giving up four hits, one walk and five runs, four earned, while striking out two batters. Gabe Mata pitched five innings, giving up six hits, three walks and four runs, three earned, while earning three strikeouts.
The Wildcats had nothing going offensively in the top of the first, as Mata struck out swinging to lead things off. Jayden Kirkland chopped out to Cooper Wilson at shortstop for out number two and Cayson Villarreal flew out to Zayden Camargo in right field to retire the side.
In the home-half of the first, Wilson drew a lead-off walk for Idalou, and he took second on a pitch, before Jett Dodd singled on a fielder’s choice to Kyzer Billingsley at shortstop, who just missed the tag on Wilson, who rounded third, before diving back to the bag, leaving runners on the corners.
Colt Gandy ripped a two-RBI triple over Tate Clark in right field to put Idalou in front, 2-0, and Camargo followed it up with an RBIdouble to right-center field, after the diving catch was just missed by Ana Ayala, making the score, 3- 0. Camargo took third on a passed ball, before Bryson Estes hit a sacrifice grounder to CJ Weaver at first base, who got the out at first, as Camargo scored, stretching the lead to, 4-0.
Soliz got Joaquin Rocha to strike out swinging for out number two, but Thomas Pirtle hit a stand-up triple to right-center field and Cannon Calvery hit a chopper down the third-base line, that was fielded by Mata, but the throw to first was off the mark, as another run scored, pushing their lead to, 5-0.
Cal Harder was thrown out at first on a dropped third strike by Kirkland to end the inning.
The Wildcat’s offensive struggles continued into the second inning, as Ayala chopped out to Wilson at shortstop for out number one. Dawson Adkins chopped out to Calvert at third base for out number two and Billingsley grounded out to Harder at first-base to retire the side.
Mata relieved Soliz on the mound to begin the bottom half of the second inning, as he got Wilson to chop out to Billingsley at shortstop for out number one. Dodd laid down a bunt on the firstbase line, as Mata fielded it and got the out at first for out number two.
Gandy drew a walk to give Idalou a base runner and Camargo followed it up with a single to right-center field to put runners on the corners. Estes drew a walk to load the bases, but Mata would get Rocha to strike out swinging to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Clark hit a chopper up the middle that was fielded by Rocha, but Clark was able to beat the throw to first to give Littlefield a base runner. Soliz, though, would pop up a bunt to Kru Gauger on the mound, who then threw to first for the double play to clear the bases.
Carlos Almance singled to shallow center field, but Mata flew out to left field to retire the side.
Mata got Pirtle and Calvert to fly out to Clark in right field for back-to-back outs to begin the bottom of the third inning. Harder drew a walk to give Idalou a base runner and Wilson roped a double to left-center field with Harder in motion on the pitch to put two runners in scoring position for Idalou.
Dodd ripped a two-RBI triple over Ayala in center field to stretch their lead to, 7-0, before Gandy hit a shot down the first-base line, that was fielded by Weaver, who stepped on first to end the inning.
Littlefield could get nothing going in the top of the fourth offensively, as Kirkland struck out swinging for out number one. Villarreal flew out to Estes in center field for out number two and Ayala flew out to left-center field to retire the side.
Littlefield was able to keep Idalou quiet in the bottom half of the fourth, as Mata got Camargo to ground out to Billningsley at shortstop for out number one. Estes singled to rightcenter field, but Brooks Bozeman hit a shot back at Mata, who got the out at first for out number two. Pirtle would strike out looking to end the inning, as Idalou stranded a runner on base.
Adkins gave the Wildcats a spark in the top of the fifth, as he led things off with a double down the third-base line. He would steal third on a pitch, before Billingsley drew a walk to put runners on the corners for Littlefield. Clark hit a shot to Bozeman at second base, who flipped it to Wilson on second, who then fired to first for the double play, as Adkins scored, trimming the lead to, 7-1, with two outs.
Soliz would strike out swinging to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fifth, Calvert was thrown out at first by Kirkland on a dropped third strike for out number one, but Harder singled to right-center field and Wilson followed it up with an RBI-triple to leftcenter field to push their lead back out to, 8-1. Dodd singled on an error by Villarreal in left-center field to drive in another run, making the score, 9-1.
Mata would get Gandy to pop up to Soliz at third base in foul territory for out number two and Dodd got picked off by Mata, trying to steal second to end the inning.
The score stood until the top of the seventh when Ayala and Adkins drew back-to-back walks to lead things off for Littlefield. Billingsley popped up to Camargo in right field for out number one, but the runners would advance to third and second on a wild pitch, before Clark hit an RBIsingle up the middle, making the score, 9-2, with runners on the corners.
Soliz hit a sacrifice to third and was thrown out at first, as Adkins scored and Clark advanced to second with two outs and the score cut to, 9-3. Almance would line out to Wilson, who made a leaping catch at shortstop to end the game, as the Wildcats fell to Idalou, 9-3.
The Wildcats hosted Muleshoe on Monday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Saturday with a road game against Roosevelt.
First pitch is scheduled for noon.